Bollywood Blamed for Delhi Rape

Since the brutal assault that claimed the life of a 23 year-old student in Delhi, a lot of politicians and critics have been playing the blame game. Rather than working towards change, so-called backlashers are pointing the finger of shame at Bollywood and its lascivious portrayal of young women.

But the actors and actresses of B-town are striking back at the notion they’re responsible for motivating rapists.

According to 7DAYS, Ameesha Patel and Deepika Padukone, who were in Dubai on Wednesday to promote Race 2, used the event as a platform to address the claims.

“I think a rapist’s mind, or anything negative—whether it’s stealing, drugs or whatever—has nothing connected with cinema,” said Ameesha Patel. It’s got to do with the person’s mindset.”

In the wake of a tragedy that left a nation questioning its attitudes and values, it’s natural to want answers. Blaming the media (or videogames) has become a go-to solution for groups that want assign blame without reflecting on the role their own attitudes, actions, or inactions played in the event.

According to statistics released by the Indian Government, a woman is raped every 22 minutes. And the prevalent attitude is that the blame often lies with the victim: her dress, her values—her fault. But the casual viciousness of the Delhi rape attack has catapulted gender politics to the forefront of political discussion.

Patel’s co-star Deepika Padukone added: “I think it has more to do with the laws in our country and probably stricter action against people who do these sorts of things. I guess people just get away very easily, which is why they’re not as scared to do that.”

In a country rife with social pressure and taboo, change likely won’t be easy. But stopping the destructive trend of catcalling, Eve-teasing (local slang for harassment), and assault goes beyond crime and punishment. It’s about equality and freedom for Indian women.